


Sentenced

by gaydemonium



Series: The Arrested Trilogy [2]
Category: Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare, Shadowhunters
Genre: M/M, Malec, Malec Angst, Malec Fluff, On the run from the law, alec learns to be a criminal, magnus bane hot con man, so much is gonna happen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-18
Updated: 2017-05-31
Packaged: 2018-08-15 20:03:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 14,568
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8070814
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gaydemonium/pseuds/gaydemonium
Summary: Six months has passed since Alec Lightwood was sent to prison for a crime he didn't commit. Everyone thinks he shot and killed his partner and younger brother, Jace Herondale. But he didn't. It was the man he, Jace and their con man consultant Magnus Bane had been tracking down. Valentine Morgenstern. Now in prison, Alec has to survive both behind bars and out amongst his fellow prisoners. Sentenced to the death penalty, Alec awaits his sentence while trying to survive amongst the rest of the prisoners, some of which have done much more than kill a cop to be put behind bars. While he waits for his death sentence, Magnus Bane comes to Alec's rescue one day and unexpectedly breaks him out with the help of a few friends. Now they're both on the run from the law as the law tracks them down. It's a race against time as they both try to clear Alec's name from the heinous crime he didn't even commit. [This is Book 2 of the Arrested Trilogy][I do not own the rights to the characters (aside from my own). All characters © of Cassandra Clare]





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> Hello lovely reader whom I love dearly with all my heart. If this your first time opening this story, I highly recommend you read the first book first before reading this one. It only makes sense to read the first before you start the second. That's how numerical order works.  
> 
> If you have indeed read the first book, then welcome to Book 2 of the Arrested Trilogy. Normally I don't write sequels to my stories, but in this case it's different. I had so much fun writing Arrested that I decided to make it a trilogy. 
> 
> I apologize if the first book was shit (which I know it was because I can never do anything right) but I promise (don't quote me on that) to try and make this one better than the first. I know in the first book it seemed like Alec and Magnus got close then they closed each other off and got close again and it was just a disgusting literary mess on my part but I'm going to go back and try to edit it so that it's not disgusting and it pleases the readers rather than have it please myself and so that it doesn't fit with what I had in mind at all. There was a reason behind their on/off romance but hey whatever makes the readers happy I suppose.
> 
> Anyway, I adore Alec and Magnus with all my heart. I adore all the characters with all my heart but it's these two that captured my attention from the start. Their chemistry is undeniable (more so in the show than the books, which we barely even saw because they were mostly sidelined). I knew as soon as season one ended that I had to write a fanfic AU about them. I had read so many fanfics that I felt inspired to write my own but the question was: what could I write about? What idea didn't sound shitty and actually sounded decent enough to write about?
> 
> I wasn't sure what at the time but the idea of Arrested came to me eventually. Due to the overwhelming popularity of the story (I also uploaded this on AO3 where it's actually more popular than here, shockingly) I decided that this beautiful couple needed another story to show how their love progresses and how they're tested against all odds. After all, you don't know for sure if you truly love someone if your relationship isn't tested. Love conquers all, as the saying goes. 
> 
> So it's my absolute pleasure to present to you Sentenced. It'll be a roller coaster of a ride. Drama, romance, humor, maybe a murder or two. This story will have it all. Much more than Arrested ever did. It will be dark. And I mean very dark. You saw Alec's world of justice and doing the right thing. Now you get to see Magnus' world of crime and doing the wrong thing. It will make readers cringe. The world isn't all sunshine and giggles. That will be the focus of this book. The world is a dark place but there's always a light when you need it in the dark. 
> 
> So sit back, relax, and enjoy the story. I hope you love it as much as I do writing it.

*warning: there will be some scenes of violence that may be triggering or make some readers uncomfortable. Discretion is strongly advised*

"Rise and shine, Lightwood."

Alec blinked against the fluorescent lights of his cell. The rest of the cell block were probably getting woken up as well, the guard banging his baton against the iron bars of their prison doors. This had been the routine every morning since he arrived in this godforsaken place. Wake up. Go to breakfast. Survive breakfast. Survive dinner. Survive the whole day, pretty much. 

Once he was up, he waited for the door of his cell to buzz open. A loud buzz sounded through the block, and the irons bars slid open on their own. Alec stepped out. The other prisoners did the same, waiting just outside their cell. No one was allowed to move until further instructions were given. 

"Face right. Eyes ahead. Walk to the hall."

Alec rolled his eyes and followed behind the prisoners that were in the cell before his own. The guard could at least speak without that monotone voice he always seemed to use. It drove Alec insane. Hearing the same voice every morning for the past six months. It was worse than an annoying alarm clock that didn't have a snooze button. 

In the hallway, a new guard directed the prisoners to the cafeteria where they each grabbed a tray. Alec remembered on his first day when he took a tray and it apparently belonged to another one of the prisoners. He got his first beat down that day. He quickly learned that it was best to keep to yourself and try not to make eye contact with anyone. 

Alec took a tray from the lineup. Today's breakfast included oatmeal that looked like slop, sliced apples and oranges and a piece of toast. Not exactly the breakfast Alec would've chosen, but it kept him from going hungry. He'd lost a bit of weight over the past few months, being so accustomed to the diet that kept up with his muscle mass. He felt like he'd gone back to middle school where he shot up ten inches and was all arms and legs. He hated feeling lanky and thin. 

Once the cafeteria cook slapped some oatmeal on his tray (she winked at him too which made him cringe) he made his way to an empty table. No one ever sat with him. Prison was like the much more murderous version of high school. There were cliques; the killers (which he never sat with even though he was thrown in here for murder), the child pornographers (who got beat up the most), and several other groups that Alec tended to avoid. 

He ate quietly, occasionally looking around to make sure no one had him in their sights for their next beating. Thankfully, no one was even remotely paying attention to him. They were either too busy eating or being boisterously loud with one another. 

"How come you never sit with anyone?" A voice chimed. 

Alec quickly grabbed his plastic fork and stiffened, seeing a small man with large glasses sit down next to him. "What?"

The man frowned. "Sorry. Didn't mean to scare you. I asked you why don't you sit with anyone? Wouldn't hurt to have a few friends in here. People who have your back and can protect you."

Alec scoffed, shovelling another spoonful of oatmeal in his mouth. "I'm not looking to make friends here. This isn't high school."

"I realize that," the man said as he politely laid out a napkin over his lap. "But still. Having a few friends wouldn't hurt. Protection wise, that is. I'm Dennis, by the way."

Alec looked at Dennis carefully. This man seemed harmless enough. "Alec. Dennis doesn't really seem like a scary name around here."

Dennis beamed. "Neither does Alec. You look like a puppy thrown into a dog fight. If you don't mind me asking....what are you in for?"

This struck a nerve with Alec. He was only here because he was accused of a crime he didn't commit and it pissed him off. "Accused of killing a cop. I didn't do it-"

"That's what they all say."

Alec glared at Dennis. "I said I didn't fucking do it. I was a cop too. My partner was killed by Valentine Morgenstern. The murder was pinned on me."

Dennis frowned. "Sorry to hear that. What was your sentence?"

Alec stared down at his tray. "Death."

"Oh. Sorry to hear that, buddy. Sucks being put to death for something you didn't do. Was it a fair trial?"

Alec thought back to the day he went to court, handcuffed in front of his friends and family. Isabelle had been his lawyer and she fought so hard to free him but it wasn't enough. There was too much evidence piled against him. His prints were on the murder weapon. Valentine was already dead. The gun was in his hands-

"Alec? You okay? You zoned out," Dennis poked him on the arm. 

Alec shook his head. "Yeah. I'm fine. I'm about as good as a person on death row is going to get." Alec bit into his toast. The bread tasted stale. "What about you? What are you here for?"

"The fine cuisine obviously," Dennis chuckled. "No. I'm....I killed my neighbor. He slept with my wife and I caught them in the act."

"Sorry to hear that."

"Oh gosh don't be. I wanted to kill that fucker for years. Just needed the right opportunity to do it. Seemed like the right time at the time, don't you think?" Dennis wiped his mouth and sighed. "I think today is going to be a good day. I have a good feeling about this week. Like something good is about to happen."

Alec shrugged but didn't answer. He had his eye on a man with long black hair across the room. He was staring right back as he ate, the tattoos on his face making him look more intimidating.

"I guess so. Don't jinx it," Alec bit into a slice of orange and chewed. It tasted bitter. 

When breakfast was over, everyone was required to shower. Much like high school, the shower stalls were only three and a half foot tall walls that separated one shower area from another. Being tall himself, Alec found it difficult to stand under the water and not feel so exposed because the walls were so short around him. He normally showered very quickly, and got out of there as fast as he could. 

Once he had his soap and towels, he found an empty stall and turned the knob so it blasted out lukewarm water. The prison was very picky when it came to the temperature of the water. Anything hotter than lukewarm and there were consequences. Alec also learned this the hard way on his first day. 

"Man, if I could go back and change what I did that got me in this place I wouldn't change a thing," a man next to him yelled out for the rest of the showering men to hear. 

"Fuckin' ace, dude. I shot my Uber driver right between the eyes because he charged me $20 over. I don't regret anything," another man yelled. 

Alec lathered up some soap and began to scrub his body, listening in on the conversation but not contributing. He couldn't risk saying something wrong and getting beat up. 

"Hey. Pretty Boy. What about you? Would you change anything?" Someone yelled out to him. 

Pretty Boy. Oh, Magnus. Alec's heart yearned to see him again. The last time he had seen Magnus was at the courthouse. He had kissed Alec right before the police took him away and said that he was going to free him. Whatever it takes. 

That was three months ago. 

"Hey, dickhole! We're talking to you! Are you fuckin' deaf or something?!" 

Alec stumbled forward as someone pushed him from behind. He craned his neck to look over his shoulder, but didn't turn around. Please not now, he thought. Please don't do this here. Anywhere but here. 

"We asked you a question. You ain't answering. Are you one of those people who ride the short bus?" The man in front (or in this case, behind) him said. 

"N-no," Alec stuttered. His damn stutter only kicked in when he was shy or scared. He was definitely scared right now. Skimming the line of petrified. 

The man chuckled. "Turn around, big guy. We're all men here. We have the same parts."

Alec felt a hand grip his shoulder and whirled him around. The water from the shower was now raining down on his back as he stared the other man in the eyes. It was the guy with tattoos that had been staring at him in the cafeteria during breakfast. His face tattoos looked even more intimidating up close. 

"I just-I just want to take a shower. I don't want to make any trouble," Alec swallowed against the fear forming in his throat. 

The tattoo man smirked. "I know you. You're the cop killer. All the boys been talkin' bout you ever since you came here. My name's Marcus. Why'd you do it? Did it feel good?"

Alec swallowed again. He made the mistake of letting his gaze roam down the tattoo man's body, but immediately snapped his eyes back up again. 

But Marcus noticed. "Huh. Didn't tag you for a faggot. You like dicks, Pretty Boy? Got a boyfriend outside these prison walls? I bet he misses you. Or maybe not. Maybe he's fucking someone else right this second...."

Anger boiled in Alec's veins. Magnus would never do something like that to him. He was good like that. He promised to get Alec out so they could be together again. He would never cheat....even if Alec was in prison. 

"I got some nice juicy meat for you right here, faggot. Take a look."

Alec looked away when Marcus took a step forward, a broad smirk on his face. He heard the other men in the stalls laughing as they watched. "Please. Let me take my shower and I'll be on my way-"

He yelled as Marcus grabbed him and threw him to the floor, cheek pressed hard against the cold, wet tile. His arms were pinned behind his back and he was helpless to defend himself. All the self defence training he learned left his body and mind. He wasn't strong enough. The muscle he normally had was gone completely because of this place. 

"Listen, faggot. You like meat, right? That's something we don't get very often here. So I'm going to give you a bit of meat. It's a lot to take in but it's worth every bit....."

Alec struggled to free himself; his heartbeat was pounding in his ears as he felt something sharp and cold and wet press against the skin on the back of his neck. It was a knife. He tried to scream but he was too terrified to even comprehend what to do next. 

Marcus gripped Alec's hair and tilted his head back. "You know what they say, Pretty Boy......don't drop the soap."

Alec finally let out a scream as Marcus pressed the knife against his throat and made a cut on the side of his neck about an each or so long. The uncomfortable sensation only lasted a moment before he heard Marcus yell. Finally free from Marcus's grip, he scrambled over to the corner of his stall, breathing heavily. The water on the floor began to turn red. Blood. 

Dennis stood over Marcus's unconscious body, a broken shower head in his hand. He looked at Alec, a smile on his face as he dropped his weapon. 

"You okay, buddy? Did he.....you know.....cut you?"

Alec choked back a sob but didn't say anything. He just let himself be wrapped up with a towel and led back to the dressing room, where shockingly nobody was in there. 

"You'll be okay, bud. I'll make sure he doesn't touch you anymore. Sound good?" Dennis handed Alec his prison uniform and turned his back. "I'm sorry this happened to you. They weren't kidding when they tell you don't drop the soap. Shit happens."

Alec hastily dried off and pulled on his uniform. "I didn't. He came at me for no reason at all."

Dennis frowned. "There's no crying in here, puppy dog. That's a sign of weakness."

"I'm not crying. I'm just.....in shock. That's all. I wasn't going to cry or anything." Alec buttoned up his shirt. "A good friend of mine would beat the shit out of Marcus if he ever found out-"

"Relax. You're fine. Did he....uh.....cut you very deeply?" Dennis rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm so sorry if this is awkward. I need to know so I can help you report it."

Alec huffed, shuddering at the though of Marcus on top of him, knife pressed to his throat. Instinctively, he reached up and pressed two fingers to his throat and felt the cut. It stung under his touch. "Two inches maybe? I'm not sure. I was too scared to even comprehend what was going on....."

Dennis pat him on the shoulder. "It's okay, Alec. It's okay. I'll report this incident. You go about your day like you normally would. I'll handle everything. Just try to keep a straight head....no joke or pun intended."

Alec nodded. "Yeah. Okay. Thanks, Dennis. I guess it wouldn't hurt to have a few friends in here after all."

Denni snorted. "Don't sweat it! I've been wanting to do that for the longest time too. Marcus deserves a good crack on the head anyway. Thinks he owns the place and everyone in it. I'll tell you....nobody owns me. Nobody."

"Nobody," Alec repeated. "That's good to know."

"Of course it is. Now I hope you're ready for tomorrow because the cute hairdresser lady is coming in and giving us all a haircut. Outbreak of lice or something. They're taking precautions."

Alec ran a hand through his shaggy black hair, which had grown a lot since he first came here. He loved his hair. Magnus used to twirl a strand around his finger or make fun of it, calling it a Mop or a Bird's Nest. "But....I like my hair the way it is."

"Hey. If you want to get lice, then that's your choice. But do you really want gorgeous black hair like yours get ruined by a bunch of nasty bugs? Do you?"

"No. I guess not."

"That's the spirit. Besides. I think you'd look good with a buzz cut. It'd make you look badass."

Alec almost smiled at this. "You think so?"

"Hell yeah! Good looking guy like you? You'd rock any kind of hairdo. And orange is your color. No homo."

"Right. No homo."

**********

When the prisoners went back to their cells later that night, Alec couldn't fall asleep. He kept hearing Magnus' voice telling him that everything was going to be okay. Be strong. There was no point in crying over spilt milk. 

"Orange would so not be my color. Never mind orange. You're wearing a onesie, pretty much. 24/7. I don't look good in a onesie," Magnus would probably say. 

Alec laughed to himself, earning a "go the fuck to sleep!" from the cell beside him. How can he sleep when he can hear all the whispers on the entire cell block? How can he sleep when the man he loved the most wasn't by his side to protect him or comfort him? 

When the lights finally went out for the night, Alec pulled his covers up over his head but that stil didn't block the whispers in the cells around him. 

"Hey, Pretty Boy. Sleep well, handsome," someone whispered. This was followed by echoing giggles and a yell from the guard. 

Alec curled up into a ball on his bed and began to do something he made a vow to never do while he was here. 

He began to cry.


	2. Chapter Two

"Rise and shine, Lightwood! Today's haircut day! Say goodbye to your beautiful locks!"

Alec winced against the noise of the baton banging on the cell doors. Everything was too loud today. His head throbbed (as did the cut on his neck) and his body was aching from sleeping in the too small bed again. 

"Get up, Lightwood! I'm seriously not telling you again. If you miss breakfast, there's no second chances. Now get up!"

Alec rolled his eyes. He couldn't afford to miss breakfast. He was skinny enough as it is. Plus he was hungry. 

In the cafeteria, he inhaled everything on his tray, stale bread included. Today's breakfast consisted of decent oatmeal, some slices of apple, yogurt and a carton of milk. Alec devoured the entire thing in under a minute.

Dennis watched him eat the entire time. "I'm not sure whether I should be impressed or disgusted right now...."

Alec shoved the last of the apple slices in his mouth. "What? I'm hungry."

"Starved is more the word I'd use. Do you want my pieces of apple? You need the food more than I do." Dennis handed Alec his apple slices. "You're too skinny, Alec. And I can tell you used to be pretty fit before too. This place is making you wither away."

Alec tried to make the slices last but he ended up scarfing them down too. "I was a cop. I kind of had to be fit. Plus the food here doesn't exactly fit the diet of a 6'3 guy like me. I need the protein. This?" He pointed to Dennis' tray. "Isn't good for my diet. It helps you lose the muscle mass. Not help maintain it."

Dennis shrugged. "Don't know the first thing about fitness. I eat what I want when I want to. Plus I have a fast metabolism. Can't gain weight."

Alec was about to open his mouth to suggest ways he could when he noticed a white haired woman walk past the windows of the cafeteria. Something about the way she walked seemed strangely familiar to him and the more he stared, the more curious he became. 

"What are you staring at?" Dennis looked in the direction that Alec was. "Or should I ask who are you staring at?"

"Not sure. Who's that woman with the white hair?" Alec watched as she was scanned for any metal objects before the guards let her inside the cafeteria. She was brave, Alec gave her that. 

"Her? No idea. Never seen her before in my life. She could be the new hairdresser. The last one quit because someone tried stabbing her with the scissors. It's always a scene around here."

The woman was looking around the room, taking in the view of all the convicts that were staring right back at her. She smirked before speaking. "Alright, boys! I hear today is Haircut Day. I'm laying down some ground rules here."

The men instantly fell silent as she spoke, Alec included. Even her voice sounded familiar....

The woman spoke again. "There will be no arguing or fighting over who's in line. I choose the order you'll go in today." She walked around the room, her heels clicking against the linoleum floor. "There will be no attempted stabbing or anything of the sort. There will be consequences if you do and trust me.....you won't want to suffer these consequences."

Alec marvelled at the way the men cowered as she walked past. There was no denying the fact that there was a powerful aura about her that commanded a presence. 

"Finally, there will be no groping or touching the woman who's holding the scissors. You won't like where they could end up....or what they could possibly cut off," the white haired woman whispered. 

Alec gulped audibly. She was frightening. 

"But other than that, I think we'll have a wonderful time today. Who wants to go first?" When no one said anything, the woman sighed. "I guess I'll choose my first victim. How about you, pretty boy?"

Alec looked up at the sound of his nickname, realizing right then and there who this white haired woman actually was. "Huh?"

"You're first, big guy. Follow me, please," the woman smiled and gestured for him to follow her. 

She lead him into a room with no windows, the only thing there being a chair and a tray with scissors and a spray bottle filled with water. She nodded towards the chair and Alec took a seat. 

"Quite the head of hair you have. I'm surprised the lice haven't taken residence up there yet," she chuckled. 

Alec rolled his eyes. "I could say the same for you except that hair isn't real. What's with the wig, Izzy?"

The woman chuckled again. "I'm not sure I know what you mean. This is my natural hair."

"Right. And I'm just on vacation here. Cut the crap, Isabelle. What the fuck are you doing here?"

Isabelle sighed. "Fine. Thank god there's no cameras in here. Or any recording technology for that matter."

Alec glanced around the room. "How do you know that?"

Isabelle tapped a finger on the ruby pendant around her neck. "This lights up red when there's hidden tech close by. A little something a friend and I invented a few months back. Works like a charm. Plus I look amazing in red...."

Alec ignored her last comment. "How'd you even get in here? Or better yet, how'd you even get this position....job....whatever you want to call it?"

Isabelle sprayed his hair with the water before raking a comb through it. The tangles hurt. "I'll explain everything later. Right now, I'm giving you a haircut. I need to keep up appearances if I don't wanna get caught."

That seemed fair enough. "Why white?"

"White what?"

"Your hair? Why white?"

Isabelle laughed. "It's blonde. Criminals dig blondes, Alec. Blondes in six inch heels."

"Izzy, I've been here six months and not once have I heard anyone say they like blondes in six inch heels," Alec peered up at his sister as she cut his fringe. "Plus that's white."

Isabelle scowled. "Do you want me to cut your hair or not? I'll shave you bald if you don't shut up."

He shut his mouth immediately. After ten or fifteen minutes, she was done. Alec marvelled at how different he looked with short hair again in the mirror. He also looked at how thin his face was. The black under his eyes didn't really help with his appearance either. 

"So? Do you like it?" Isabelle asked as she put away the scissors. 

"I look....different. Different than before I came here. Not a good different either," Alec's voice fell soft as he continued to stare at himself in the mirror. 

Isabelle gently took the mirror from him. "It doesn't matter. I know a certain someone who's not going to care whether or not you look different. They'll love you all the same."

Alec's heart skipped a beat. "Magnus? He's here?!"

"Shhh! No, he's not here in the sense that he's in the building, but he's....somewhere. But not here."

This was starting to get confusing as Isabelle pulled out a small object that looked like a tv remote from her pocket. "How did they not catch that when they scanned you?"

Isabelle smirked. "Another cool piece of tech I invented. It's undetectable. It scrambles up all other pieces of technology within a 20 mile radius."

"You invented an EMP?!"

"It's not hard! Any idiot with access with Google and YouTube could do it. Relax," she quietly locked the door to the room before turning to face him again. "Here's what's gonna happen in about 30 seconds or so. I'm going to press this nice little red button here, and this whole place is going to go apeshit. Doors will open, security cameras will be scrambled, chaos will ensue. I've devised an escape route for us to take when this all goes down."

Alec's mouth gaped open as she spoke. "Are you...are you trying to say that you're breaking me out of prison?"

"No, Alec. I'm trying to say you've been punked and this was all a damn joke-yes! I'm breaking you out of jail! Did you lose brain cells while you were in here too?"

Alec flushed. "No. I'm just a little shocked. I mean my sister waltzed in here-in disguise, mind you, sat me down, gave me a haircut and then told me she was breaking me out of prison. So yeah. Forgive me if I'm a little stunned."

Isabelle said nothing as she raised the little handheld EMP and pressed a button. "We have about two minutes to get out of here before the security cameras turn back on as well as everything else. That means we have two minutes to run like hell to the rendezvous point."

"Two minutes isn't a whole lot of time, Iz. Won't the exits be blocked off by guards?"

"No. They'll be heavily concentrated on the inmates running around. They'll need every able body they can get in order to get a handle on the situation. It'll be chaos." Isabelle fixed her wig on her head. "You ready? Everything should be scrambled in-"

A yell from the corridor interrupted her. The stomping of footsteps indicated that the scrambler worked and that all the inmates were outside their cells. Alec heard guards yelling orders to one another as they raced down the hall. 

"Let's go now before someone sees us," Isabelle said as she peered out into the hall. "All clear. Head to the eastern hallway. There should be a fence just outside the doors."

"A fence usually means a dead end, Izzy. What did you plan on doing, cutting through it?" Alec's voice faltered as they reached the eastern hall and saw the fence just outside the doors. "It's a dead end, Isabelle. We can't get through-"

"Oh, ye of little faith!" Isabelle hissed. Reaching into a murky bucket of water on the floor, she pulled out a pair of wire cutters. "Voila! I came prepared, Alec. I wasn't going to mislead you, in case that's what you were thinking."

"I wasn't thinking that. How did they get in there?"

Isabelle carefully began to cut through the wired fence. "You have some friends on the inside. Or Magnus does, anyway. He called in a favor. This guy owed him one so he helped plan an escape for you."

Alec blinked against the hot summer sun. "Who was he? Do you know?"

Isabelle grunted through cutting a wire. "No idea. All I know is that he owed Magnus so he helped break you out. Didn't even ask if he could escape too. Kept it strictly about you only. I'm done."

Alec looked down at her handiwork on the fence. The hole she made was just big enough for the two of them to fit through. "Great job, Izzy. Now what?"

"We escape. Duh. Now hurry up. We don't have much time left and I still have to patch up the fence again."

They both squeezed through and made short work of the fence before running through a field and through the small wooded area that surrounded the prison. Alicante Prison was a secluded prison meant for killers and hard case criminals that couldn't be sent to a regular correctional facility, mainly because they couldn't be corrected. Alec had heard about it during his cop days but didn't actually think he'd be heading there himself one day. Life was just full surprises. 

"Not much further now. We're almost there," Isabelle breathed as they pushed their way through the branches. 

"Where is there exactly?" Alec winced as a branch poked him in the eye. "The rendezvous point you were talking about earlier?"

He didn't hear Isabelle answer, and as they finally stepped out of the woods, the sun nearly blinded him when the tops of the trees finally stopped blocking out the light. From under his hand that was shielding his eyes, he could see a long stretch of road that seemed to lead nowhere and go on for ages. Beside them was a white van with no markings to indicate what or who it belonged to. 

Isabelle smiled broadly. "Freedom is just a few steps away! He going to be so excited to see you," she grinned as she knocked on the back of the van. 

"Who's going to be excited?" Alec asked. There was someone else with her?

He got his answer when the van doors opened up and a very familiar face poked out, eyes widening as he saw Alec standing there. 

"Magnus?" Alec whispered. 

"Alexander?!" Magnus gasped. "Oh my-Jesus, Isabelle. That's how you cut his hair?! Seriously?!"

Isabelle snarled at him. "I'm not a professional! You can fix it yourself later if you don't like it! Now hurry up and-" She rolled her eyes as Magnus hopped out of the van and pulled Alec into a deep kiss. "Right. Sorry. Make out first. It's not like we just broke him out of prison or anything. Take your time."

Alec dreamed of the day when he'd kiss Magnus again. It was actually even better than he imagined during those long nights in his cell; his lips moving in sync with Magnus', their tongues touching and dancing along the inside of their mouths, the stuttering of his heartbeat as Magnus moved his mouth lower to his neck. 

Magnus pulled away, gasping for air. "Alec," he chuckled. "It's been too long. How have you been?"

Alec laughed. "Are you seriously asking me how I've been the past six months?"

"Well yeah. I thought it'd be rude to ask you how you managed to survive prison. That's a question for a later time."

Laughing again, Alec leaned his forehead against Magnus', kissing him again. "You have no idea how bad I've wanted to see you. No idea."

"I missed you too, pretty boy. I tried to visit but they wouldn't let me see you. So I came up with the next best thing: break you out of that hellhole."

Alec froze. "Wait. This was all you? You planned all of this?"

"With the help of a genius, of course. This wouldn't be possible if it weren't for your sister. She made this happen and I thank her for everything she's done."

Isabelle blushed. "Oh, stop. I wanted my brother out too. Plus I can't resist a road trip and using some cool new tech. Plus this necklace has definitely captured my heart."

Alec chuckled. "You both are amazing. I can't thank you enough for getting me out of there. I mean look at me. I'm half starving. Any longer in that place and I wouldn't even need the death sentence. I'd just starve to death. Or get stabbed or something."

"Shh. Don't talk like that. We're going to get a motel and some food first before we plan what to do next, okay?" Magnus kissed Alec again. "Now get in, loser. We're escaping prison."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know the first thing about breaking out of prison. I've never been there nor do I ever want to go there. I tried to come up with a realistic escape and this was the result. Hope it sounds decent and real enough


	3. Chapter Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: there will be some smut in this chapter so brace yourselves. If it makes you uncomfortable, skip this chapter. I'll write you up a summary of what you missed in the next chapter (FYI I suck at writing smut so don't laugh at my sad attempt at it)

"Good lord, Alexander. What on God's green earth did your sister do to your hair?"

Alec squirmed as Magnus ran a hand through his freshly cut hair. The spray of cold water made him jump in surprise as it ran down the back of his neck and down his spine. "I actually don't think it looks that bad, to be honest."

A snort came through Magnus' nose. "Of course you don't. What do you know about hairstyles? You just let grow every which way....."

The only thing Alec could do was shrug in response as Magnus attempted to correct his hair. From the brief glimpse of it he had back at the prison, he really did think it looked good; better than the long, curling locks he was starting to grow annoyed of. At least with Magnus fixing this "mistake" it would keep the con man occupied for a short while as Isabelle drove the van towards God knows where.

"There. Done. Much better, if you ask me. Isabelle! Next time I'm going into the prison in disguise as the hairdresser. At least I know what I'm doing," Magnus spat.

"Oh I'm so sorry, Princess Magnus. Would you like a do over? Send my brother back to prison so we can switch roles this time?" Isabelle back called from the driver's seat.

"No! I'm not going back there. My hair is fine. This is fine. We're all fine. Just don't send me back there...." Alec shuddered at the thought of Marcus sneering and cornering him in the shower again.

Magnus noticed this and stroked his cheek. "Hey. We're not going back there. Fuck that. You're safe now, okay? Whatever happened in there is a thing of the past. You're with me and you're safe. But I'm here if you ever want to talk about it. Got it?"

Alec nodded and let himself be hugged. He wasn't ready to tell anyone his experience in the hellhole just yet. The wounds were still fresh. Literally. Magnus had found the cut that Marcus made on his neck and was gently running a finger over it, a frown on his face.

"So where are we headed?" Alec asked. He was hoping to divert Magnus' attention to a different topic.

"Right now our main focus is get you out of the area. From there, you two are getting a motel and will more than likely suck face all night long." Isabelle peered up at the men in the back of the van through the rearview mirror. "What? Am I wrong in saying that?"

"No. You're probably right," Magnus answered. He was still staring at Alec's neck where the healing cut was.

"Oh! Magnus! There's some clothes for Alec back there somewhere. He should change into them before we stop anywhere," Isabelle yelped as she veered off to the wrong side of the road.

"Oh. Right. Uh...." Magnus felt around the van for the clothes. "It's nothing special. Just jeans and a clean shirt. Plus some socks and boxers. The essentials. Orange is so not your color. Or mine for that matter."

Alec smiled. He knew Magnus would say something about the orange jumpsuit he was wearing eventually. "Thanks. It's been a while since I wore normal clothes."

"I'd say. You had to wear that everyday?" Magnus cringed when Alec nodded. "I'd go nuts. Throw myself off the roof. Or send myself to the electric chair. It's hideous."

"Could be worse. Could've went around naked," Alec began to unbutton the jumpsuit once Magnus found the clothes. "Not that you would've had any complaints...."

"Uh huh. You're not wrong. Now hurry up and change. That color orange is burning a hole in my corneas..."

Of course, Magnus peeked through his peripheral vision to get a glimpse of Alec's body, hoping to sneak in a view of that gorgeous body that he so deeply missed for the past six months. His heart sank when Alec slid out of the jumpsuit, revealing a body completely different from what it used to be. He was thin enough that Magnus could count the individual bones in his ribs. The thin line of both his collarbones were jutted out and so sharp that Magnus could easily hang Christmas ornaments off them. He had lost every ounce of muscle he had before going into that hell of a prison.

It ate away at his beautiful man.

"It's a little loose but it'll work for now," Alec said as he zipped up his jeans. "So? How do I look? Back to my normal self?"

Magnus looked him up and down. The outfit he had on was the outfit he wore when they sought out Ragnor in the alley months before. The shirt was somewhat baggy on him now and the jeans hung low off his hips. "You look gorgeous. Better than that old orange rag you had on, that's for sure. I'm burning that the first chance we get."

"Smart. We get rid of all evidence that I escaped Alicante. I like your thinking, Magnus," Alec beamed, clearly impressed with the con man.

"Huh? Oh, you thought I was burning evidence? Oh god no. I just wanted to burn it because it's atrocious to look at. Evidence was the last thing on my mind," Magnus chuckled. "Seriously, it's ugly. I'm burning it."

Alec raised his hands. "Do what you want with it. The sooner it's gone, the better. I don't want to keep any reminders of that place. That place was a waking nightmare."

Isabelle frowned. "Was it really that bad, Alec?"

Swallowing hard, Alec nodded. "Yeah. Yeah, it was. I saw things that nobody should ever have to see. Nearly got killed a couple of times. My first day there, I got beat up all because I took someone else's designated tray in the cafeteria. My face was swollen for two weeks."

Magnus closed his eyes, trying to rid himself of a bloodied face Alec out of his mind. He saw it once before. He didn't need to see it again. "No one will ever lay a hand on you again, Alec. I'll make sure of that."

Alec snorted. "I'm a grown man, Magnus. I can take care of myself."

"You lost too much weight, Alec. You're not the man of steel anymore. Your body isn't used to being this thin. Trust me." Magnus looked Alec right in the eyes as he spoke. "The food you've been eating there isn't what you're used to having to keep up with your muscle mass. The change in diet made you lose weight. Not maintain it."

"And suddenly you're an expert on healthy diets? Who are you to dictate whether or not I'm too thin-"

"Boys! Please. There's a cop car up ahead. Stay quiet for a minute," Isabelle hissed. "Alec. Get in the back and shut up. Magnus, get up front. Now."

Both men got into their designated spots as Isabelle slowed the van down when the cop raised a hand. Isabelle glanced at Magnus, who looked calm and collected as she rolled down the window and smiled her award winning smile.

"Good morning, officer. Was I speeding? I didn't realize I was," she said in her sweet and innocent voice. Alec rolled his eyes from the back. He heard this voice too often when she wanted to get her way with their parents.

"No ma'am. You weren't speeding. I just wanted to advise you that there was an incident at the Alicante Prison and there's been an escapee. We're cautioning drivers to keep an eye out for anything suspicious in the area," the cop looked at Magnus through the top of his sunglasses. "Good day, sir. This your girlfriend?"

"She could be if I asked her, but she isn't. Why is it of any concern to you?" Magnus asked. His voice remained neutral as he spoke.

"Just wondering-"

"Were you just wondering? Or were you asking because just because I'm Indonesian-or Chinese as you ignorant folks would incorrectly label me-I can't be in the same vehicle with an American?"

"My family's actually part Spanish," Isabelle said. "Mixed blood. Dad was born in Italy. Mom was born in Mexico but raised in the US. Best of both worlds."

The police officer stared at them both before speaking again. "Right. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to come across as rude to y'all. You're free to go. Have a nice day."

Isabelle started the van and drove off with a scowl. "The nerve of some people. Can you believe it?!"

"I can't, actually. You and me? Together?" Magnus shuddered.

"I don't think that's what she meant, Magnus," Alec grunted as he shrugged off the heavy blanket he had over him. "I think she meant could you believe the ignorance of that cop back there. Right Izzy?"

"Exactly. He's obviously racist. Most Texans are."

Magnus snorted. "Isabelle-"

"I said most Texans! Not all! Geez. Pay attention," she rolled her eyes in disgust. "There's a motel up ahead. Are you guys stopping here and getting a room?"

Alec frowned. "You're not staying with us?"

"Nope. I'm going home before mom and dad get suspicious. It's bad enough I'm already under surveillance at home. They think I'm on a class trip to Washington," Isabelle smirked back at Alec. "They believed me too."

"Of course they did. You're mommy and daddy's little angel. She can do no wrong," Alec growled. Isabelle shot him a look over her shoulder but he ignored it. "They're going to make the connection sooner or later. They're not exactly stupid."

"Never said they were," Isabelle sighed. "They know you're innocent, Alec. They really do. But you can't fight evidence. No matter how convincing it may seem." She nodded at the view in front of her. "Motel up ahead. That's where you guys are going."

She pulled up into a ratty motel that looked like something straight out of an old horror movie. Alec immediately thought of Bate's Motel and shuddered. The office was in a separate building from the rooms, and from what he could see on the outside, the inside probably was just as ugly.

"I'd suggest sleeping on the floor to avoid whatever's crawling in the beds, but the floors are probably just as bad," Magnus cringed. "Wear the flip flops I got in the bag for you when you shower. God only knows what died in there."

How comforting. Alec shoved on a baseball cap and sunglasses as they stepped out into the parking lot. It was bright and sunny day, which was the perfect time to wear both. It wasn't the best disguise but it was a disguise nonetheless.

"I'll book you a room. Stay where I can see you," Isabelle hissed under her breath.

"Yes mom," Magnus rolled his eyes. When she disappeared inside the office, he turned to look at Alec. "I had to deal with that for six months. I don't know how you did it for your entire life."

"You get used to it. Plus she's really not all that bad. If shit ever goes down, she's the one you want on your side," Alec fixed his hat lower over his eyes as a couple walked past them, eying them suspiciously.

"Look at this. Straight white couple acting like they never saw two men together before in their lives. Move along. Nothing to see here," Magnus snapped at them. He smirked when they jumped in surprise and shuffled away. "Ah, Texas. The land of the homophobes. Beautiful state, ugly people. They picked the right place to drop a prison in the middle of fucking nowhere...."

Alec watched as a roll of tumbleweed blew past. "Yup. You got that right."

Isabelle made her way back out to the van. "You're room 13. I can't say that they're nice looking rooms because they're really not. I saw a photo of one of them. I've seen doghouses with a nicer interior."

"So you're saying we should've rented a doghouse instead?" Magnus smirked down at Isabelle. "We've worked together for six months and you still scowl at my jokes. At least Alec attempts a smirk at them."

"I smirk because I know they piss her off," Alec winced as Isabelle punched his arm. "Izzy! That fucking hurt! My arms aren't as strong as they used to be!"

"Good! Maybe the pain will shut you up a little bit. Now grab your shit and go. I've got to be home very soon and I'd much rather have to explain why I'm driving a suspicious looking van than have to explain why I'm driving a suspicious looking van with you two in the backseat."

Both Magnus and Alec quickly grabbed their bags and said their goodbyes to Isabelle before she drove away. Apart from Alec's small duffle bag with another outfit and some soap, toothpaste and a toothbrush, they didn't have much with them. Even Magnus had a small bag with the essentials.

"She wouldn't let me pack my makeup and good outfits. Said I'd be drawing too much attention. Bitch, that's the point. Get the attention off you and onto me instead. Duh," Magnus slipped the key inside the lock and snorted. "And just for the record, I wouldn't have picked that outfit but Isabelle said to grab something you could easily slip into. Hence why you look like a boy on his freshman year of high school."

"Gee. Thanks. That makes me feel a lot better....." Alec let Magnus open the door to their room. "This is my favorite shirt-oh, God. What's that smell?"

"Norman? Norman, sweetie is that you?" Magnus rasped in a creepy voice. He laughed when Alec hit him. "Aw, come on. Live a little. This might be a shitty little motel but you can't deny that it has its charm."

"By charm I assume you mean ''man kills mother and stuffs her in the attic and hears her voice telling him to kill people when they stay at their motel' charm? Yeah I've heard it's an acquired taste." Alec put his bag on the bed and sat down on it, dusting rising from the sheets. "Fuck," he coughed. "It looks like the maid hasn't been here for a while."

"Alec, nobody has been here for a while. The wallpaper still screams 'groovy' from the seventies. I can still smell the last time a hippy couple was in here and smoked a bong." Magnus shut the door and locked it before closing the curtains. "If you're not popping into the shower, then I will. Won't be long-"

Alec was hunched over, face buried in his hands and was sobbing into them when Magnus turned to face him. "He's dead, Magnus. My brother. Jace is dead and nothing I do will ever bring him back."

Magnus sat beside him on the bed. "Alexander....it's not your fault. You know that. I know that. Hell, even Jace knows that. Wherever he is, I'm sure he loves you very much and was proud to have such a loyal brother like you."

Alec sniffled and wiped his nose in his collar. "Yeah. I hope so. It sucks that things turned out the way they dos but at the end of the day, he was my little brother. No matter what."

Magnus nodded. "And it's okay to cry, too. Let it all out. And I don't mean to sound ignorant but you stay here and cry while I take a quick shower-"

Alec reached up and held Magnus' wrist, preventing him from getting up. "Don't leave me. Please. I need to be close with someone right now."

The look in Alec's eyes tore at Magnus' heart. "Okay. Shower can wait. I mean, when you think about it, I'll only be getting dirty again if we do decide to sleep in the b-"

His face was crushed between Alec's large hands as his mouth was suddenly invaded by a pair of lips and a very eager tongue. His eyes widened in surprise, but eventually his body gave in and he moved his mouth along with Alec's.

Alec let his hands roam over Magnus' body; he was genuinely surprised with how much had changed over the last six months. Magnus was pure, solid muscle. More so than from what he remembered from months ago. The muscle rippled under his fingers as he traced the line of Magnus' abdomen and made his way over the con man's back. He smirked in delight as he felt goosebumps form along Magnus' massive biceps as he moved a finger on both hands along them.

"Alec...." Magnus groaned. "I haven't....I'm a little rusty at this."

Alec paused. "You mean you haven't....."

"No. I haven't been with anyone. I was waiting for you."

Alec's heart swelled with joy. He grabbed Magnus by the shirt pulled him backwards and they crashed into the bed together, lips trying to find every inch of bare skin on each other.

Eventually, their shirts hit the floor and the bed creaked ominously beneath them as they kept switching roles from top and bottom (although Alec preferred to be a bottom). He shuddered in anticipation as Magnus found his way to the button of his jeans and pressed down on it with a finger so that Alec felt the wonderful pressure of it against his waist.

"Are you sure about this?" Magnus whispered. "We can wait. It doesn't have to be now-"

"Magnus, I've been in prison for six months. I couldn't even jerk off. If I wait any longer, I might just explode with repressed sexual frustration. Take my fucking jeans off. Now."

Magnus, impressed with a very demanding Alec, did as he was told. The button to Alec's jeans undid with a little 'pop' causing him to smirk as he slowly undid the zipper.

Alec moaned as the zipper slowly moved down over the bulge in the front of his pants. "Magnus....please....I need...."

Magnus bent down and sucked on Alec's earlobe. "Oh, baby. You don't even know what sexual frustration is. I give it a whole new meaning."

Alec groaned and helped Magnus with taking off his jeans. Once they were off, he stood up and unbuttoned Magnus' pants, slowly moving the zipper down the same way. Magnus moaned into Alec's collarbone. Alec smirked. "Not fun, huh? When someone teases you even when they know you've been waiting for this for months."

"Shut up, Lightwood. Just shut up," Magnus panted, crashing his lips against Alec's again. This time he let his hands wonder from Alec's clavicles, down over his chest, over his ribcage and his stomach, and stopping just at the arch of his hipbones.

Alec groaned as Magnus slowly placed warm kisses along his stomach. It was torture, feeling that mouth move along his skin so painfully slow. He needed more. He wanted more.

"Magnus," he croaked, his own voice surprising him. "I want....I want you to...you know."

Magnus looked up at him through long lashes. "No, actually. I don't. Be vocal. Tell me what you want and I'll do it."

Alec covered his face with his hands. "It's embarrassing-"

"So? Just say it. You're killing my hard on."

Alec swallowed nervously. "I want you to.....suck me off."

Magnus looked him straight in the eye. "Okay. Consider it done. I've been told my mouth works miracles and leaves people in a state of pure euphoria."

Alec felt Magnus move a finger over the waistband of his boxers and his dick started to grow hard beneath them. "Oh, fuck. Magnus. Please. I'm dying of frustration here-"

"I'm just building you up, Alexander. Waiting for the right moment...." Magnus smirked. He placed one hand on his cheek, resting his face in it while he slowly massaged Alec with the other.

Alec moaned. "Fuck......oh god. That feels-that feels so good.....unghhh."

Magnus stroked him for a minute before releasing Alec's beast of a dick from his boxer briefs. He almost whistled. His first impression was right: Alec was a big boy. His erection stood at an impressive eight inches, give or take, and was long and thick with a delicious looking pink head that throbbed as he took it in his mouth and began to suck.

Alec lost all control. Head tilted back, he groaned and swore under his breath and the longer Magnus sucked, the louder he became.

"Fucking shit, Magnus-" He gasped and grunted. "Oh fuck that feels good!"

Magnus smirked when Alec looked down at him, but didn't move away. He sucked harder and went deeper until he felt Alec's head touch the back of his throat and the slowly (and torturously) withdrew.

Alec felt like he was about to burst into tears. A feeling that he was all too familiar with was starting to build up in his stomach and balls. "I'm-I'm close. I'm so close, Magnus. Don't stop-"

"Like I'd start a job and not finish it. That doesn't sound like me at all," Magnus grumbled but grinned wickedly as he watched a drop of precum roll down the length of Alec's cock. Devilishly, he leaned in and licked it as if he were licking a Popsicle.

Alec gripped the sheets beneath him. A sheen of sweat was now forming on his forehead and chest. "I'm gonna come. Oh yeah. I'm definitely going to come."

"Let me help you get there faster," Magnus smirked and with quick and powerful strokes, he moved his hand up and down Alec's dick, squeezing the head once he reached the top. To put the icing on the cake, he leaned down and licked Alec's slit, knowing that it would throw him over the edge.

Alec nearly yelled as he came, hard, over Magnus' chest as well as his own. His back arched off the bed and he groaned loudly, eventually feeling Magnus cover his mouth with a hand to muffle the sound. Once he came down from his high, he felt as if a weight has been lifted off his shoulders.

"That was....that....Magnus-" Alec breathed heavily, trying to find the words to describe how he felt.

"Like I said. Euphoria," Magnus winked and laid down next to Alec on the bed. "Hey now. Don't get too comfortable on me."

"Um...why not?" Alec asked. He didn't like the way Magnus was smirking at him with a devious glint in his eyes.

"Why not? Because it's my turn now, of course. You didn't think this was one sided, did you?" Magnus snorted. "Do unto others as you do unto yourself. Treat others the way you wanted to be treated. Or whatever. That sounded a lot better in my head....anyway. You had your fun. Now it's my turn."

Alec grinned as he got down to where Magnus was kneeling at the edge of the bed, his fingers nervously moving over Magnus' boxers.

"Any day now. This dick isn't gonna suck itself...." Magnus smirked, moving his hands so that they rested behind his head.

Alec rolled his eyes. "Be vocal. Tell me what you want and I'll do it."

Magnus peeked open one eye. "I'm always vocal. Even when I'm not."

"That makes zero sense."

Magnus leaned his head back and smirked. "Neither do we, Alec. Now give me your worst so I can anticipate your best."

Alec grinned and bit his lip while slowly and painfully, he slipped off Magnus' underwear and leaned down.


	4. Chapter Four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it's been a while since I last updated but I promise to work on this story more often. Thank you for your patience!

For the first time in months, Alec finally had a good sleep. He didn't have to worry about getting stabbed in the breakfast line the next morning. He didn't have to listen to the whispers of the other cell mates and more importantly, he didn't cry himself to sleep. Not that Magnus knew about that last part. 

Magnus slept comfortably beside him, an arm thrown over his forehead and the other resting on his stomach. He breathed deeply in and out, even snoring a little. Alec found himself smiling like an idiot at the little snorts coming from his nose. 

"Hey. Wake up. It's late. We should get going," he whispered, nudging Magnus. 

Magnus groaned. "No. Leave me alone. I need my beauty sleep..."

"Why do you need more beauty sleep if you're already beautiful?"

Magnus smirked at this, eyes still closed. "You make an excellent point. But one can't be too beautiful. Having extra beauty sleep hasn't hurt anyone yet."

Alec sat on the edge of the bed and stretched. "That was the best sleep I had in months. I could've slept forever."

"That's because you were with me and not some rat infested prison. Plus you felt safe." Magnus ran a finger over Alec's back, feeling the small muscles move as he breathed. "You can sleep again once we get a car and get the fuck out of this dump. Maybe grab some breakfast along the way."

Alec nodded. "Sounds good. But where are we getting a car?"

Magnus smirked. "I'll handle that part. You just get dressed and pack up for now."

Alec never questioned Magnus' cryptic suggestion. In fact, he didn't even want to know. All he could think of sitting down to a delicious hot, home cooked meal. He was practically drooling at the thought of it. 

"Are there any diners around here?" He asked as Magnus slipped on a pair of jeans. 

"No clue. I'm sure if we drive long enough we'll come across something resembling one. We are in Texas after all. The vending machines here are empty. Probably never even seen a chocolate bar before in its life."

Alec packed up, checking himself out in the bathroom mirror before leaving. He had a flush to his cheeks that wasn't there before yesterday. His eyes looked brighter. He looked healthier. It was surprising what the course of a day could do to a person. 

Outside, Magnus stood next to a dark green pickup with no front licence plates. Or back ones for that matter. He smiled broadly as Alec looked at it. "Isn't she adorable? It's a Chevy. From the 80's, I do believe. She's got a cute charm to her."

"She looks like something out of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre," Alec put a hand on the hood and the metal creaked ominously. "Where did you even get this?"

"A magician doesn't reveal his secrets. And neither do con men. Let's just say I have contacts in a lot of places who sort of owe me one." He opened the driver's seat door and hopped in. "Come on. Get in! I'm starving and I can't wait to get some good ol' Texas food in me."

Alec climbed in. He was surprised how clean it was on the inside. "What, no hidden compartments for weapons? I'm shocked."

"Oh there's compartments. It just wouldn't be a Magnus Bane truck if it didn't have any. I just forget where they are." Magnus started the truck and laughed at the deep rumble of the engine. "Oh listen to her purr. She sounds beautiful."

"She sounds angry."

"Bullshit. Ignore him, Charlize. You're gorgeous. The mean old man just broke out of prison. He's a little bitter," Magnus cooed to the truck. 

"I'm not bitter! And stop talking to the truck! It's weird!" Alec shouted. He was starting to feel the effects of hunger the longer he sat there and watched Magnus stroke the steering wheel like a cat. 

Cat. 

Chairman Meow. 

"Who's watching Chairman if you're here?" He asked. Magnus finally pulled out of the parking lot and was into the road. 

"I didn't want to leave him behind but I had to. I gave him to Ragnor, believe it or not. He seemed more than happy to help out."

Alec snorted. "You gave your cat to a homeless man? Why?"

"Why? I wasn't going to give him to Isabelle. She's too busy. I wasn't dropping him off at the shelter and I most certainly wasn't going to take him along on our little road trip. He's just slow us down. Or get car sick. Maybe both."

"Chairman doesn't get car sick. You said so yourself when we brought him back to my place."

Magnus paused and shrugged. "Texas always makes him barf. It's the air. It reeks of homophobes."

Alec smirked but didn't say anything as they drove down the never ending expanse of road. It felt like they were just going in one direction. The horizon wasn't getting any closer. The clouds in the sky never moved. It was driving Alec insane. 

"Can we turn on some music? I'm going crazy by watching the same tree pass by a million times," Alec flicked on the radio. He immediately regret that decision when he heard the news being read out. 

Reports of a riot has been rumoured to have occurred at the Alicante Prison earlier today. Authorities have been advised that there has been a prisoner on the loose due to the riot. Police are strongly recommending extreme caution when you're out on the road. This prisoner is extremely dangerous and will more than likely try to harm you. The description of him is as follows: tall, around 6'3, black hair, hazel eyes-

Magnus flicked off the radio. "I wouldn't listen to that. It'll only make you upset. Besides, you're not even dangerous so I don't know what the fuck or who the fuck they're talking about."

"Me," Alec whispered. "They're talking about me. They think I'm dangerous because I killed a cop-"

"But you didn't."

"They don't know that. They think just because I got thrown into that particular prison, I've had one taste for blood and now I want more. They think I'm a serial killer or something."

Magnus clicked his tongue and rubbed the steering wheel with a hand. "I'm almost certain a serial killer has to kill more than one person. Plus it has to show a pattern-"

"You're not helping the situation right now."

"Sorry. Sorry," Magnus cleared his throat. "My point is....you're not dangerous. I know you. I wouldn't just break anyone out of prison, you know."

Alec looked over at him and smirked. "No? Then why did you break me out? Did you miss me or something?"

"Ha!" Magnus chuckled. "Whatever helps you sleep at night, Alexander. Honestly, I drew names out of a hat. Yours just so happened to be the one I pulled out."

Alec snorted. "Lucky me."

They drove for about twenty minutes before Magnus had to pull over and pee on the side of the road. While he was standing there doing his business, Alec sat on the back of the truck and looked around at his surroundings. 

There was nothing as far as the eye could see. If he concentrated hard enough, he could imagine a group of cowboys riding towards them on horses with guns out, ready to shoot. He quickly shook that thought from his mind before his imagination went any further. 

"You have to take a leak? Might as well do it now before we hit the road again," Magnus said as he zipped up the front of his jeans. It was only then that Alec noticed that he was wearing a pair of light coloured jeans, a red plaid shirt and a pair of cowboy boots. 

"Magnus....what the hell are you wearing?" He asked. 

"What do you mean? I'm wearing authentic Texas fashion. These boots are made from cowhide. The good stuff. Not the cheap stuff they sell at knockoff stores. Why? What's wrong with it?"

Alec raised an eyebrow. "You stick out like a sore thumb."

Magnus, offended by this, huffed and crossed his arms over his chest. "Well excuse you. I was trying to look like a local. It's called blending in."

"There's literally nobody dressed like that."

Magnus thought about that for a second. "Huh. I guess you're right. Maybe I can start a fashion trend? Everyone wants the latest and the greatest."

Alec rolled his eyes as Magnus looked down at himself, more than likely admiring what he was wearing. "Are we done here? I'm tired of looking at the same scenery."

"Same scenery? You've been looking at the same scenery for six months. I don't know what you were expecting to see after all that time," Magnus retorted after he hopped into the driver's seat. 

"I don't know either. I just need to be somewhere that isn't here...." Alec rubbed his eyebrows and sighed. "Where are we even headed, anyway? You never told me your grand plan."

Magnus wiggled his eyebrows. "I have a friend in Florida that can help us out with our current situation."

"Florida?" Alec croaked. "You've got to be kidding me!"

"I kid you not. I haven't seen this friend in years but they too owe me a favor. This seems like a good time as any to ask for one. Don't you think?"

Alec shrugged. What he couldn't understand was how so many people owed Magnus a favor. He wasn't exactly the type to go around doing good deeds for people. "Let's just get out of here. I'm starving."

"Of course you are. I can't imagine prison food to be a two star Michelin worthy meal." Magnus climbed into the driver's seat and started up the truck. "We'll stop by a diner and grab a quick bite to eat before our long road trip."

The engine roared to life. "Is that a good idea? Me going into a diner while I'm supposedly an escaped killer from prison?"

"Just wear your hat and don't take it off. Or pray that no one notices you. I like to think all Texans are as dumb as a bag of rocks so they probably won't notice you."

Alec snorted at this. "That's kind of discriminatory, don't you think?"

"Not at all. I spent a year in Texas as a kid. Everyone called me either Fairy or Faggot. My car even got spray painted one time. Faggot was spelled wrong."

Alec tried to imagine Magnus living in Texas, dressed in plaid with jeans and a cowboy hat but couldn't envision it. This didn't seem like a place Magnus would ever consider living. It wasn't because of the homophobes or biphobes or any of the phobes. It just wasn't the place for him. 

"Julie's Diner, 10 km. Imagine working in the middle of nowhere. Drive three hours a day just to go to the place where your tips are shit and everyone just drives past," Magnus commented. "At least if there's a chainsaw massacre, their settlement plan should bring in a hefty amount of money."

There was an awkward silence for a moment before Alec spoke, unsure of exactly what to say. "How can you even joke about something like that?"

Magnus glanced at him. "You're right. That was inconsiderate. I'm just eager to get out of this shit state. Texas," he shuddered, "I wouldn't miss it if it got blown off the map."

Charlotte's Diner was something straight out your stereotypical, middle of nowhere restaurant imagination. From the neon lights in the window that said "Open" right to the checkered linoleum floors as they stepped inside, everything about this place screamed "Run" to Alec. He half expected a man with a chainsaw to break through the diner at any moment. He kept his guard up anyway. 

"How y'all doing today?" A woman in a pink apron asked them. She had auburn hair tied back into a tight bun and kind, gentle brown eyes. "Take a seat wherever. I'll be with y'all in a jiffy."

Magnus cringed as they chose a booth close to the entrance. "If I have to listen to the accent for one more second-"

"Relax. It won't be for much longer. Just try and enjoy the food, okay?" Alec whispered as the woman approached their table. 

"Alrighty then. Here's our menus. Can I get you boys something to drink to get you started?" She handed them a menu. Alec's mouth nearly frothed at the burger section. 

"Coffee for me. One sugar and cream," said Magnus. "Gideon? What about you?"

Alec looked up to see Magnus eyeing him. Who was Gideon? When he realized that that was his middle name, he gave himself a mental slap on the forehead. "Uh, I'll get a coffee too. Black."

The woman nodded. "Alright. I'll give you fellas a moment to decide on what you want. Be back in a second with your coffees."

Everything on the menu sounded delicious and Alec couldn't decide. "What are you getting? I can't decide if I want the bacon cheeseburger or the hot turkey sandwich."

Magnus wasn't paying attention. He had looked up from his menu and caught sight of the news that was playing on the tv, his mouth gaping open in shock. 

Alec snapped his fingers. "Hey. Why are you staring like that-" He winced as Magnus grabbed his chin and turned his head. That was when he saw the news. 

"Civilians are advised to take precautions. This man is armed and dangerous. If you have any information or have seen this man, please call the number on the bottom of the screen or call your local police department-"

A photo of Alec was in the top right corner of the screen for the world to see. Any one of the people in the diner right now could be taking out their phones and dialling the number. Even with his pathetic disguise, Alec felt exposed and naked in front of everyone. 

"Relax. No one's moving a muscle," Magnus whispered. 

He was right. Nobody in the diner was frantically taking their phones out and dialling the number on the screen. They ate in silence or chatted quietly to the person sharing a booth with them. 

A wave of relief went over Alec. "Yeah. Maybe they didn't recognize me?"

"Maybe-oh. She's coming back to take our order." Magnus smiled as the waitress returned to their table. "We're ready to order now."

"Fantastic!" She whipped out her notepad. "So what'll it be, boys?"

"I'll get the fish and chips. Ranch dressing on the side, please," said Magnus. "What about you, Gid?"

Alec knew that was his cue. "I'll get the bacon cheeseburger platter. Gravy on the fries."

The waitress nodded. "Okey dokey. It'll be ready in no time."

Magnus huffed as she walked away. "I'm normally not an antsy person, but this place is starting to give me the creeps."

"Shouldn't have mentioned the Texas chainsaw massacre earlier," Alec smirked into his coffee.

"Shouldn't have mentioned the Texas chainsaw massacre earlier," Magnus retorted in a mocking tone. "You think you're so clever. How about you suck my dick, Lightwood?"

"I already did."

The waitress came came back with their food ten minutes later and it smelled and looked delicious. The very first bite of burger that Alec had made him drool and moan softly, as did the fries. 

"I wish I made you moan the same way those fries do," Magnus grumbled. The crust on his fish looked beautiful and it smelled fantastic. "How is it? Your food, I mean."

"So good," Alec said through a mouthful of burger. "Best I've had in months."

Magnus laughed. "Probably the most you've had too. Eat up, big guy. You need your strength. Plus you need to put some meat back on those bones. Your time in you know where wasn't exactly kind to you. Plus it's a long drive to Florida."

They ate everything they had on their plates, with Alec even ordering a vanilla milkshake for dessert. He inhaled that too like it was air and felt full by the time he was finished. 

"You ready to go before shit goes down?" Magnus tossed the keys into the air and caught them. 

"I'm ready when you are. How far is it to Florida?" Alec climbed into the truck and slammed the door. 

"Far away, I know that much. We might have to sleep in the truck if we can't find a motel anywhere. You okay with that?"

Alec nodded. "Sure. Do you have blankets?"

Magnus smirked. "Ten steps ahead of you, Alexander. I'm all packed for a camping trip in the back. Blankets, pillows. You name it and I have it."

Alec rolled his eyes. He should've known that Magnus would come prepared. "You really thought this out, haven't you?"

Magnus was quiet for a moment. "Of course I have. I couldn't let you rot in prison. Especially for something you didn't even do. Of course I was going to do something about it. I care about you."

Alec blushed as the engine roared to life and pulled out of the diner parking lot, leaving it in a cloud of dust as they sped towards their next destination.


	5. Chapter Five

Alec missed his family. After going six months without seeing them, he wondered if they even still cared that their son is....or was in prison. He remembered the day of the trial and how his father couldn't even look him in the eye as he walked out to the armoured car. His mother was no different except she was crying and screaming that it was an injustice and Alec didn't actually kill Jace.

At least someone believed he was innocent. 

"You okay? You got that lost and distant look in your eye," Magnus chimed, bringing Alec out of his thoughts. 

"Yeah. I'm fine. Just thinking about my family and how they're doing," Alec sighed. "Have you spoken to anyone other than my sister at all the past few months?"

Magnus shook his head. "Just Isabelle. She's the only one who really kept in contact, even after you left."

Turning to look at the passing signs, Alec rest his chin in his hand. As much as he wanted to pick up the phone and call home, he knew that wasn't a viable option at the moment. The entire country was on a manhunt for him. He didn't need that kind of attention directed at his family. 

"I know how bad you want to talk to them, Alec. I really do," said Magnus, "and we will eventually. Once things calm down a bit, you can call home and talk to your family."

"Once things calm down?" Alec snorted. "I'm on the America's Most Wanted list, Magnus. Pretty much everyone is looking for me, dead or alive. Plus if I did call home, isn't that the first place they'd look for me? To see if I escaped back there to hide out?"

It was Magnus who snorted this time. "Please. You're a cop. You should know the answer to that. And as a professional con man, I can guarantee you that's the most stupid thing an escapee can do. And you know what's funny? People do it. It's a thing. Escape a government facility and flee back home where everyone knows where you live."

"Makes sense," Alec said. "And when they pay with credit or debit cards instead of cash? How stupid can they get?"

"Ooh that's the worst thing you can do," Magnus cringed. "We should write a book together. 'How To Successfully Escape Jail and Avoid The Law'".

Chuckling, Alec shook his head and turned to look out the window. They were driving through a small town whose name Alec had already forgotten. The sides of the road were lined off with small shops and restaurants, even a little bookstore he knew Max would've loved. He was almost tempted to ask Magnus to stop the truck so he could go in and have a look around but he knew what Magnus would tell him. 

"My friend in Florida told me we could hole up at their place for a while if we need to," said Magnus. He had pulled to a stop when the traffic light overhead turned red. 

"Who is this friend anyway? Can we trust them?" Alec asked. 

"Of course we can trust them. I do-with my life, mind you. And there's not many people I would entrust with such a precious thing," Magnus' voice lowered as he glanced at Alec. "I trust you with it, in case you were wondering."

"I wasn't but thank you," Alec half smiled. "This friend....do they have a name? Or are we just sticking to calling them Friend for now."

Magnus laughed. "You'll find out soon enough. I think you'll like them. They're right up your alley."

Confused, Alec turned to look at him. "Right up my alley? What's that supposed to mean?"

They drove over a bump, causing them both to wince but Magnus spoke once their ride smoothened out. "I meant you'd like them because they're....good people. Good people who have done bad things but good people nonetheless!"

Alec said nothing. Whoever this friend was, Magnus seemed to have the utmost trust in them. So Alec felt that he should too. "How much longer til Orlando?"

"Oh. Another 16 hour drive at least. And that's if we don't stop for food or sleep and the Lord knows I need to sleep. I can't drive forever." As if on cue, he yawned. "I'm feeling tired already. Want to take over for a bit?"

They switched positions so that Alec was now in the driver's seat and Magnus was in the passenger. No sooner did Alec start driving, Magnus dozed off and began to snore softly. Smiling softly, Alec reached over and draped a blanket over Magnus' shoulders and continued the drive. 

Every now and then he stopped to check his map to make sure he was going the right way. The truck had no GPS system or any kind of navigation tool to help them go in the right direction and to Alec, this felt very much like navigating through the ocean on a ship. This must've been like the olden days when the British first discovered the New World. 

"This is ridiculous," Alec grumbled. The map was splayed out across the steering wheel in what was probably the wrong direction as he tried to figure out where he was. "Maybe I should ask for directions...."

There was nobody around. He literally was in the middle of nowhere as he glanced at his surroundings. A bird flew by overhead but that was as exciting as things got. Alec supposed he could drive a little more until he hit a town or a gas station but that would mean if he made a wrong turn, he'd have to turn around and go back the way he came. Magnus probably wouldn't like that. 

Speaking of Magnus, the con man had just woken up and was stretching out his limbs when Alec climbed back into the truck. "Oh," he yawned, "what time is it? How long was I asleep?"

"A couple of hours. We just passed....uh...." Alec squinted at the map. "We just drove past a sign-"

"We're lost."

"We're not lost. We're just...we made a wrong turn at some point. That's all. We're not lost, Magnus."

Magnus smirked and took Alec's hand. "The beauty of American roads is that all of them eventually lead to the same destination. Now scoot that sexy ass over here. I'm taking over driving."

They switched positions again and Magnus showed Alec where they were on the map, claiming he learned to read and navigate using maps in Boy Scouts. 

"I can use the stars to find my way too. Aren't I useful or what?" Magnus grinned. 

"It's broad daylight. You can't navigate with the stars now, genius," retorted Alec. 

"No but I can always use the sun-"

"Just drive. You're making me feel bad for not being able to read a map."

Frowning, Magnus started up the truck again (with a little difficulty as the engine sputtered somewhat) and they were soon on the road again. 

\----------

Alec must've fell asleep. He wasn't sure for how long but when he opened his eyes he saw that there were lights of every color blinking and flashing all around him. There was also a lot of cheering and singing too. 

"Where are we?" He sat up with a groan and rubbed his cramped neck. Pedestrians surrounded the sidewalks wearing beads and odd hats on their heads. They must've been celebrating something. 

"Mardi Gras!" Magnus cheered. "My favorite time of year!" He then turned to look at Alec in the passenger seat. "Well, well. Look who finally came back from the dead. Welcome to Orlando, Alexander. The only city in the United States I know of that parties just as hard on this day as New Orleans does."

Alec rubbed his eyes and looked around. The streets were lined off with people dancing and singing to music and overall, they looked like they were having a good time. "I must've been asleep for....a long time. Why didn't you wake me up?"

Magnus smiled. "Because you look so at peace when you sleep. Not to mention your nose does this cute little wrinkle when you're dreaming. You're like a little bunny."

Alec flicked Magnus' hand away as the man reached over to tap the tip of his nose. "Stop. Let's just meet up with this friend of yours. That's why we're here, right?"

"I know why we're here, Alec. Lighten up. Have a little fun!" Magnus bopped his head to the beat of the music playing outside but Alec didn't budge or move a muscle. "What's got your panties in a twist?"

"You're telling me to lighten up and have a little fun when you're forgetting the reason why we're here," Alec whispered. 

Magnus glanced over at him. Alec didn't look impressed. In fact, he looked worried; a wrinkle between his eyebrows had appeared there the longer he frowned at Magnus. "I know why we're here, Alexander. I haven't forgotten. You're going to be fine. We both are."

They slowly made their way through the crowd on the street. Alec pulled on his baseball cap down over his eyes and slouched down into his seat to avoid anyone peering in and recognizing him as they drove by. He'd never been to Orlando before but he knew it was hot down here. He was already beginning to sweat through his clothes. 

"Sorry about the air conditioning. You must be sweltering," Magnus pulled up into a car lot filled with trailers and took off his seat belt. "Hopefully where we're staying isn't as scorching as it is out here."

Alec peeled off his sticky shirt over his head. "And where exactly are we staying? In one of these trailers?"

They climbed out of the truck, both of their shirts off at this point. Magnus couldn't help but glance over at Alec and smirk at how pale his skin was under the blazing hot sun. He'd get a tan here in no time. "My friend owns this lot. They're going to let us crash here for a while before we figure out a game plan."

"A game plan," Alec snorted. "You didn't plan any further than breaking me out of prison?"

Magnus glared at him. "I didn't get a chance to get that far. I'm kind of winging it here, okay? It's not like I go around breaking people out of prisons for fun. This isn't fucking Prison Break here, Michael Scofield."

Alec smirks at this, mainly because Magnus had gone pink in the face the longer he looked at him. His smirk turned into a full blown smile when Magnus finally tore his gaze away and made his towards one of the trailers. "Does your friend know we're coming? Or that we're even here?"

"Let's knock and see, shall we?" Magnus said as he reached up and knocked on the trailer door. A loud crash from inside made him jump back away from the door. "They're home. That much we know."

The door was thrown open and a man with long, sandy blonde hair stepped out. He looked a little worse for wear; his shirt was askew and had holes on the sleeves and hem. His shorts were ripped and his flip flops looked like they had seen better days.

"What do you want?" The man barked. "Who are you?"

"Malcolm," Magnus raised his hands in the air as if surrendering. "It's me. Magnus. We talked over the phone a few weeks ago, remember?"

Malcolm squinted at both Alec and Magnus. "Right. Yeah. Sorry, Mags. My mind isn't what it used to be. Drugs do that to you, you know?"

"Your friend is a drug dealer?!" Alec hissed as Malcolm turned his back. "What are you trying to do, get me in deeper shit than I'm already in?"

"Did I say he was a dealer? No. I didn't. He does drugs but he doesn't sell them," Magnus whispered back. 

Alec scowled. "How comforting. I'm going to get tossed back into prison for a drug bust."

Malcolm cleared his throat. "I can hear every word you're saying. Magnus is right. I don't sell them. At least not any more." He stepped aside and nodded towards his trailer. "Come on in. I was just about to make some spaghetti-o's if you guys want any."

"We're fine, Malcolm. We just need the keys to our trailer and we'll be out of your hair for a little while. This is Alec, by the way. I guess you can say he's my boyfriend. Alec this is my friend Malcolm Fade," Magnus caught a set of keys that were thrown towards him. "Does it have running water?"

Malcolm nodded. "Hooked it up myself. Might be an illegal setup but nobody said I couldn't use water from the ocean with my own filter, did they?"

He chuckled, which made Alec a little uneasy. "Why did you help Magnus? What's in it for you?"

Malcolm finally laid eyes on him and looked Alec over carefully. "I'd be lying if I said I'm doing it for free. Magnus promised to pay me once you left and got out of my hair. But deep down, I'm doing it because I know what it's like to be wrongfully imprisoned. It's not a nice feeling."

Alec frowned. "You were in prison?"

"Yeah. Ten years. Almost didn't survive but by some freak of nature I did. Been selling trailers ever since," he pointed with a finger at the park behind him. "That beige one is yours. It should be big enough for the two of you."

He went back inside his own trailer, closing the door behind him. Magnus snorted as he headed towards their trailer, shaking his head in bewilderment. 

"What's wrong?" Alec asked him. 

"Nothing's wrong. The guy just never ceases to confuse the shit out me. I've known him since we were kids and even then, he was a little weird. Never really fit in with the other kids, you know?"

He unlocked their trailer and they both stepped inside. It was clean for the most part, with all the necessities that they needed; a small kitchen complete with an oven, fridge, and kitchen table, an even smaller bathroom with a toilet and shower, and a bedroom with a queen size bed. 

"Home sweet home," said Magnus. He collapsed at the kitchen table with a heavy sigh. "We're going to get you out of this mess, Alec. Trust me. I will get you out of this even if it's the last thing I do before I die."

Alec said nothing back and opened the fridge, looking inside. "Fridge is empty," was all he said.

Magnus sighed. "I'll go get some groceries. You stay here and for the love of God, stay out of sight. If anyone comes knocking for whatever reason, don't answer the door."

Alec scoffed. "You don't even have to tell me that. I know."

"I know that you know. I'm just reminding you." Magnus pulled Alec's head towards him and kissed his forehead. "I'll be back soon. Won't be long. If Malcolm comes knocking, don't let him weird you out, okay? He's as friendly as they come."

"Friendly. Got it." Alec watched Magnus step out of the trailer and head back to the truck before sliding into bed and closing his eyes and falling to sleep for what felt like eternity the hundredth time that day.


End file.
